Page 12 - Wonder Book and Tanglewood Tales , A

eyes of her own, with which she looked very kindly at Perseus. They seemed to be acquainted with
Quicksilver; and, when he told them the adventure which Perseus had undertaken, they made no difficulty
about giving him the valuable articles that were in their custody. In the first place, they brought out what
appeared to be a small purse, made of deer skin, and curiously embroidered, and bade him be sure and keep it
safe. This was the magic wallet. The Nymphs next produced a pair of shoes, or slippers, or sandals, with a
nice little pair of wings at the heel of each.

"Put them on, Perseus," said Quicksilver. "You will find yourself as light-heeled as you can desire for the
remainder of our journey."

So Perseus proceeded to put one of the slippers on, while he laid the other on the ground by his side.
Unexpectedly, however, this other slipper spread its wings, fluttered up off the ground, and would probably
have flown away, if Quicksilver had not made a leap, and luckily caught it in the air.

"Be more careful," said he, as he gave it back to Perseus. "It would frighten the birds, up aloft, if they should
see a flying slipper amongst them."

When Perseus had got on both of these wonderful slippers, he was altogether too buoyant to tread on earth.
Making a step or two, lo and behold! upward he popped into the air, high above the heads of Quicksilver and
the Nymphs, and found it very difficult to clamber down again. Winged slippers, and all such high-flying
contrivances, are seldom quite easy to manage until one grows a little accustomed to them. Quicksilver
laughed at his companion's involuntary activity, and told him that he must not be in so desperate a hurry, but
must wait for the invisible helmet.

The good-natured Nymphs had the helmet, with its dark tuft of waving plumes, all in readiness to put upon his
head. And now there happened about as wonderful an incident as anything that I have yet told you. The
instant before the helmet was put on, there stood Perseus, a beautiful young man, with golden ringlets and
rosy cheeks, the crooked sword by his side, and the brightly polished shield upon his arm,-- a figure that
seemed all made up of courage, sprightliness, and glorious light. But when the helmet had descended over his
white brow, there was no longer any Perseus to be seen! Nothing but empty air! Even the helmet, that covered
him with its invisibility, had vanished!

"Where are you, Perseus?" asked Quicksilver.

"Why, here, to be sure!" answered Perseus, very quietly, although his voice seemed to come out of the
transparent atmosphere. "Just where I was a moment ago. Don't you see me?"

"No, indeed!" answered his friend. "You are hidden under the helmet. But, if I cannot see you, neither can the
Gorgons. Follow me, therefore, and we will try your dexterity in using the winged slippers."

With these words, Quicksilver's cap spread its wings, as if his head were about to fly away from his shoulders;
but his whole figure rose lightly into the air, and Perseus followed. By the time they had ascended a few
hundred feet, the young man began to feel what a delightful thing it was to leave the dull earth so far beneath
him, and to be able to flit about like a bird.

It was now deep night. Perseus looked upward, and saw the round, bright, silvery moon, and thought that he
should desire nothing better than to soar up thither, and spend his life there. Then he looked downward again,
and saw the earth, with its seas and lakes, and the silver courses of its rivers, and its snowy mountain-peaks,
and the breadth of its fields, and the dark cluster of its woods, and its cities of white marble; and, with the
moonshine sleeping over the whole scene, it was as beautiful as the moon or any star could be. And, among
other objects, he saw the island of Seriphus, where his dear mother was. Sometimes he and Quicksilver
approached a cloud, that, at a distance, looked as if it were made of fleecy silver; although, when they plunged